City closing in on Guéhi deal as Palace confirm defender's imminent exit
Manchester City nearing a deal for Crystal Palace's Marc Guéhi as Eagles manager confirms the England international won't be in the squad this weekend
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City are on the verge of bolstering their injury-hit defence with Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guéhi, as Eagles boss Oliver Glasner confirms the England international won’t be in the squad this weekend.
Deal in final stages
City are moving quickly to secure Guéhi’s signature after the defender made it clear to Palace that he won’t be extending his contract, which expires this summer. Rather than losing their star defender for free in June, the South London club have opted to cash in during the January window.
Glasner confirmed on Friday that Guéhi’s absence from the weekend squad is directly related to ongoing transfer negotiations, with only the final details left to be sorted.
Defensive crisis solution
The timing couldn’t be better for the Cityzens, who are currently navigating a proper defensive nightmare with Rúben Dias, Josko Gvardiol and John Stones all sidelined through injury. Guéhi’s arrival would provide immediate quality and depth to Guardiola’s backline as they continue fighting on multiple fronts.
Second winter signing
If completed, Guéhi would become City’s second acquisition of the January window, following the arrival of Antoine Semenyo in a deal worth around £72 million.
Interestingly, Guéhi nearly joined Liverpool last summer in a transfer valued at approximately £35 million, but Palace pulled the plug when they couldn’t secure a replacement in time. Now it seems the 23-year-old is heading to the Etihad instead.
For City fans, this potential signing is just what the doctor ordered. With their defence looking thinner than a slice of bread at a posh sandwich shop, Guéhi’s ball-playing abilities and Premier League experience make him an ideal fit for Guardiola’s system.